would have expected—brief, pleasant, totally without intimacy. Rachel had been
there with a date, although it probably wasn’t obvious to most attendees that the
leggy brunette who watched Rachel’s every move was more than an
acquaintance. But Leslie knew the signs. It hadn’t bothered her, and she hadn’t
expected it to. “I know Natalie has a thing for Dev.”
“Mmm, maybe.” Eileen patted Leslie’s shoulder. “What matters, though, is who
Dev has a thing for.”
Leslie sighed. “I wish it were that simple.”
“Why isn’t it? You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
“Like crazy.”
“And if she feels the same way?”
“We’re completely incompatible,” Leslie said. “Our jobs, our lifestyles, where
we live. And Dev isn’t interested in a casual relationship.”
“Are you?”
Leslie leaned her head against the window frame, thinking that she’d only ever
had casual relationships, no matter how long-term or monogamous. They had
been convenient, simple, and satisfying in a limited way. She’d spent one night
with Dev, whom she’d known far better as a teenager than as an adult, and
realized immediately that that one night was more meaningful than all the other
nights she’d spent with other women. “I think she’s it for me.”
“Then you’d best get around to telling her that. She’s been jumpy and distracted
all summer, and I’m willing to bet it’s because of you.”
Eileen slipped her arm around Leslie’s shoulders and gave her a quick hug.
“Don’t wonder how she feels, sweetie. Just ask her.”
Leslie smiled. “Yes, Mom.”
“If you want to ? nd the big bass, you’ve got to go twenty miles farther north
than ten years ago,” Paul Harris complained. “And even then, you won’t see the
really big ones anymore.”
Dev nodded, her eyes on the woman making her way down the grassy slope
toward them. The late-afternoon sun had taken on the amber hue of
approaching autumn, and Leslie, with her softly layered blond hair, pale silk
blouse, and navy slacks, looked radiant.
Following Dev’s gaze, Paul twisted in his chair, then grinned.
“Hey, look who’s here.”
Leslie smiled as she leaned down to kiss him. “Hi, Daddy. How’s your leg?”
“One more week,” he said, thumping his walking cast. “Pretty good timing, huh?
Just missed closing up.”
“Very smart of you.” Leslie squeezed her father’s shoulder but her attention was
on Dev. “Hi.”
Dev pushed away from the wall, her heart thundering so loudly she felt as if she
were in an echo chamber. “Hi. I thought tomorrow—”
“I know. I couldn’t…I got a break.”
“That’s good.” Dev knew she was barely making any sense, but she hadn’t
expected to see Leslie for another twenty-four hours. She wasn’t ready. She
wasn’t ready for the body blow that just being near Leslie always produced.
She felt shaky, a little light-headed, and hot.
Her skin was hot. She was hot inside. She was burning, and Leslie was the cool,
cool water she needed to soothe her, inside and out.
“Mom said you were talking about ? sh.”
“Yes.”
“How’s the work going?”
“Pretty much done.”
Paul looked from one to the other, his expression curious. He maneuvered
himself out of his chair and into the nearby motorized cart Leslie had insisted on
getting for him earlier in the summer. “I’m going to head on up to the house. See
you for supper, Les?”
“Uh-huh. Probably.”
“Well,” he said, turning the key in the ignition. “I’ll see you sometime this
weekend, honey.”
For a few minutes, the motor drowned out the possibility of conversation, and
as the roar died off in the distance, Dev crossed the dock to Leslie’s side.
“How have you been?”
“Fine, I’m ? ne. You?”
“Good.” Dev grinned. “You look great.”
“Thank you,” Leslie said softly. “I’ve been watching you from the house for
about half an hour.”
“Yeah?” Dev leaned toward Leslie, her gaze skimming down her body.
“I want to tear your clothes off.”
“Same here.”
“Should we talk ? rst?”
Dev watched Leslie’s nipples tighten beneath the sheer blouse.
“No. Not until I’ve heard you come at least once.”
Leslie’s lips parted in surprised pleasure. “You like that, do you?”
“Oh yeah. I’ve been putting myself to sleep for a month remembering how you
sound when you come in my arms.”
“Oh, that’s not fair.”
“I don’t last very long, thinking about it,” Dev murmured, watching Leslie’s lids
grow heavy.
“I’m not sure I can make it to the cabin.”
“Boathouse?”
Leslie took Dev’s hand and tugged her inside. The air was hazy with heat and
dust and thick with the scent of old wood and water. She leaned against the wall
in a dimly lit corner and dragged Dev against her, her hands sliding down to grip
Dev’s ass. “Do you have any idea what you just did to me?”
“I want to make you so hot you’ll come if I just breathe on you.”
“Keep it up and it won’t take that much.” Leslie straddled Dev’s lean thigh. “I’m
so wet already.”
Dev tangled her ? ngers in Leslie’s hair and kissed her roughly.
Every day for the last month, she’d told herself that Leslie would be here, and
while her mind had believed it, her heart had never been quite sure. Now that
Leslie was this close, all she wanted was to feel that she was real. She sucked
on the tip of Leslie’s tongue and fondled her breasts, her hips pinning Leslie to
the wall. Finally she pulled her mouth away. “I’m not going to fuck you out here.
But God, I want to.”
Leslie dug her ? ngers into Dev’s tight butt. “You’ll make me come just doing
this.”
“Les,” Dev gasped, kissing her neck hungrily, unable to stop as Leslie rode her
